As we bustle from place to place in a hurry to make it to our next scheduled meeting, we use the comforts of life to accomplish our tasks. Today we can call around the world while texting and surfing the Internet on our phones.
Our cars have become way more advanced then before. We can drive with electricity and listen to mp3's while talking on the phone with cameras in our rear bumper. A lot of these advances are for safety, but most are for our comfort.
Today in a world of consumerism we want the best and newest thing right NOW and it will make our lives better and more efficient. At least that is what we think they will do. In many homes this same thought is being applied to God.
"God please help me to be rich, help me to be smarter, faster, more handsome." Here is exactly what your are doing. You are saying, in no less words, God serves me. So now you have put God into the same status as your phone or your care. Something to help you to get to another place in your life.
The Bible tells us we are to serve God and others and not expect anything for ourselves.
Matthew 4:10 (New International Version, ©2011)
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'”
1 Peter 4:10 (New International Version, ©2011)
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
What we need to do here is change our thought process. This will not be easy since it is our culture that we have been raised in. We need to quit the stinking thinking and start following the owners manual (Bible).
Every day pray instead of asking God to grant your every wish, like a genie. Ask God to help you serve him. Ask God to clarify his path for your life in his plan. You can ask for strength and wisdom to fulfill his plan for your life. Do these sound like the same prayers as were mentioned earlier.
You can not be superficial in prayer. You have to mean it with your heart and soul. You must think of the fulfillment and progression of God's kingdom and your relationship with him.
Matthew 21:21-23 (New International Version, ©2011)
21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Every day think of others first. Put your neighbors and community members first. Put strangers and even your enemy's first. Find ways to serve and help them. This is what we are instructed to do.
In this passage Jesus the son of God the teacher and Rabbi washed his disciples feet. That was far beyond serving them. It is a King washing the feet of his followers.
John 13:5 (New International Version, ©2011)
5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
You do not just wake up and start thinking this way. Like I said before it is a huge shift in your thought process. How can you start to think this way? You can start by catching yourself when you start using God as your instrument to get somewhere. Then ask the opposite. A perfect example yet again is Jesus as he was about to be crucified he prayed.
Luke 22:41-43 (New International Version, ©2011)
41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
If we pray as we are instructed to and mean it with our whole heart and soul, if we ask for the things that bring glory to God and his creations then you will start to see how your life and the motives behind your actions will change.
Please leave comments about how you have changed the way you pray and how it has affected your life.
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